The Blackcaps have lost a top class batter in Ross Taylor, but won't have to look far for his replacement in Will Young - player of the one-day series against Netherlands.
Filling in for captain Kane Williamson, on duty with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League, Young took his chance at No.3 with centuries in the first and third matches, scoring 224 runs at an average of 112 across the three matches.
In the series-opener at Mt Maunganui, Young scored 103 not out of New Zealand's 203 for a seven-wicket win, before adding 120 of 333/8 at Hamilton in their 115-run victory.
With Taylor's departure opening up a spot at No.4 in the batting order, Young, 29, will almost certainly go head to head with Devon Conway as the next cab off the rank.
Conway has been given the nod to replace Taylor in the Blackcaps test side and appears to have made the wicketkeeper-batter spot his in the Twenty20 format, but has missed a golden opportunity to do the same, also absent on IPL duty with Chennai Super Kings.
Blackcaps coach Gary Stead has hailed Young's efforts across the Netherlands series, backing him to play a role as both a red and white-ball batter for New Zealand.
"Will obviously [scored] two centuries in the series, fantastic for him," Stead said. "We've known for a long time that he's been somewhat of an 'heir apparent', but we have a number of those at the moment as well.
"It creates some really good competition internally from within the team. I think that will bring out the best in everyone.
"[I'm] very, very happy with the way Will's gone and the way he's developing as an international cricketer."
Young's innings at Mt Maunganui finally ticked off his first century, after failing to convert six previous 50-plus scores across test and T20 formats.
Veteran opener Martin Guptill had arguably the best seat in the house to assess his second ton six days later, as part of a 203-run partnership in the third encounter, and also backs him for a regular spot in New Zealand's top XI.
"Youngy's had a great start to his international career," Guptill said. "He's got a taste for it now and I'm sure he's going to be hungry for a lot more in the future.
"Youngy played an absolutely brilliant innings. Two hundreds in the series, it's the start of some big things for him."
